Tractor hitch



May 29, 1928. 1,671,702

c. D, COLE TRAToR HITCH Filed Feb. 12, 1927 Patented May 29, 1928.

1,671,102 UNITED x-STATES PATENT oFF c it ,c AnL sn cone, or snnuvsv nnnirmmsynvnnin.

TnAcroR iron- Application filed February 12, 1927. SerialNo. 167,699.

r This invention relates to improvements in a tractor'hiteh, the hitch being of a. push type, whereby the tractor may be readily utilized topush machineryfor vehicles as de- 5 sired. i

The primary object of this invention is the'provision'of a hitch which is of simple and cheap construction, but at the same time sufiiciently strong to withstand the =use to whichit willbeputnw i.

r A further object of the invention is the provision of a hitch of the character Ydescribed, whichis of a construction whereby it can be readily'and easily attached to tractors now 011 the market Without the necessityof alteration of the tractor in anyman ner.

A still further object "of the .inventionis the provision of the pusher type of hitch tached tothe tractor that the major portion of the strain or stress is placed .upon the rear axle or end of the tractor.

Another andfurther object of the invention is the provision'ofa pusher type of. a

hitch which isso constructed and attached to the tractor that the pushing stre ssor force upon the tractor is such as to prevent the front end of the tractor from lifting, and

to materially aid in the holding down oi the front end of the tractor.

Other novel features of the construction and. improved results will appear from the following descriptionand the accompanying drawings; i 1 V In the accompanying drawings:

F'gure lis, a view in side elevation ofa tractor having thev improved hitch applied thereto. a i

Figure 2is atop plan view ofthe hitch, a

portionofthe-tractor. rear axle housing being in transverse section. Figure 3 is a perspectiveview of the hitch, theFparts being shown unasse nbled and strung out relation. I

l The embodiment of the hitch, as shown in the; drawings, is primarily designedfor attachment to the Well-known 'Fordson tractor now on themarkehbutjit will-be readily realized that those minor changes necessary to adapt the. hitch tovarious tractors are such as to be withintheskill ofany me chanic.

. In attaching the hitch-to the tractor, jthe draw-bar cap carried on the rear axle. housfor tractors which is so constructed and at-v This manner of operation has It will be obvious ing is utilized. Certain early models of the Fordson tractorrare not provided with this draw-bar .cap, but the caps cangbe readily obtained and applied to the tractor when it is desired to attach myimproved hitch.

In moving separators, headers, and other heavyifarm implements for any distance, the common practice is to pull'them. It has been found, however, that it is very difiicult andat. times practically impossibleto pull the implements to the exact spot desired; This can bereadily understood when it is. remembered thatv many of the implements are placed in barns where the space is not su'tlicient to permit of the tractor pulling the implement into the barn. Many otheroecasions arise where the implement cannot be properly placed by pulling.

'At such a time it is not only desirablebut necessary to push the implenicnt in front ofthe tractor. The broad idea of pushing an implem ent or vehicle before the tractor is not new. It has been found, however, that with thosertractor hitchesnow known for pushing,theconstruction' is such that the front wheels of the tractorare lifted from the'ground. Immediately this takes place it willbe readily seen that all control for the steering of thetractor and of the vehicle being pushed is lost. i

It has alsobeen found that those pusher hitches attached to theirontofthe tractor do not inany manner "aid the traction of the real-or power wheels of the tractor.

.In the past it has been the practice when it is impossible to pull the implement to the desired position to push the implements to the: spot desired by backing! the tractor. the primary disadvantage that the reverse tractor is nowherenear as low as the first forward speed and, consequenlly,in many instances heavy implements cannot bemoved by the tractor when it is-in reverse gear. The above manner of operation has the additional}disadvantagethat the operator of the tractor must look baelm'ard to steer both thetractor and the implement being: pushed.

to manipulate and handle the tractor to properly place the implement when thetractor is being operated backwardly, or in a reverse direction. 7 y

Having. the above; in mind, the present inventionhas been made to overcome, these obgear of the that it is more diflicult ion ' wall 26 of: theclevis jections and, in addition, to provide an improved tractor hitch over those now known or in use.

The tractor illustrated in the drawingsiin-v cludes an engine 5,1;adiato1i6, and a steerin wheel 7, together with such" other usualpar is as are usually found in the make r pofa tractor. The rear tractor driving wheelsare illustrated at 8. being supported, upon the rear axle 9. The front wheels are illustratedat .L() being suppoited or, carnied by the front axle. 11. The front end ofrthe tractor pnovided with a, transverse'member having a downwaizdly extending forked portion L 5. This torked portion is 'o-tia size: to receive the exile 11 and; isso positioncd; asto receive the axle at apoint centrally of its length,

A suitable bolt. through thetork andtheaxle and constitutes the trunnion for the trontyaxle otthe-traotor. The rear axle housing is designated at 1.5 andthetractor drawibar cap 16: is suitably bolted tothis housing. The draw-bar cap is provided. with La plurality. holes 17 to provide ineans for connection, therewith.' The tractor structure hereindescribed is in everyiinanner the well-known Fortlson tractor now inl wide use and. well-known to the public. The tractorf is described in broad, terms only tor the reason that the manner ofiattachment of the hitch upon the tractor maybe more readily understood.

The hitch compnises a pair. 0t bars 'or rods 18, which adjacent their front end pass through suitable openings 19in a guide and supportingplate 20. These a'ods beyond the plate terminate in threaded endsQl, which pass through the openings 22'Iiin-the clevis 23. The threaded ends otitihe bars receive at their outer ends nuts 24,-while nuts 25 are positioned? to clamp the rear face of the irear Itfwill be cleanly seen that the clevis' 23 is of a =U-shape in cross-sectiion. The rear vertical wall of the clevis is designated at 26, while the outwardly extending; top. and bottom of the clelvisis designated at. 27 and Z8. The clevis is provided -with :a connecting or hitch pin 29, which passes through the clevis top and bottom. The lower end ofthe'pin is provided with an o ening adapted to receive a cotter laey or 1 e like for fastening it against removal.

The rear ends of. the bars or. rods 18 are offset or bent slightly upward as at 31, and terminate in enlarged flattened-ends 32, having therein"bolt'openings 32 ,whereby these ends of the rods are easilyand readily attachedito the t-woend openings 17-0f the draw bai' hitch hy means of two bolts 34.

The supporting and guide 1platej2'0 has an end 35 extending a considerable distance above therot ls18, Thisend: portion of the plate is" providedwith a suitable bolt open- 301' trunnion 14 vpasses ing 36, adapted to receive the inner end of the o agtletrunniqn 14 whereb this nigill'm' is attaohfid mhdrsupported sa 're'ference'to the drawings, it will be seen that the inner end of the hitch rods are supported in separated relation by the drawbarcap, and that they extend forwardly beneath the rear axle and the engine of the tractor, to pass through the; suppmfi ii g 2O andwterminalte inthedeuisfl? at a point beyandi the trout smile at thetraotm; 'Dbe openings in the plateQOmndthe. new: wall 26 of the clevis are so positioned that. the m0 mods converge towards onexanather as approanh. the olevis, Without, 'hQW' ever meeting. at any point. r

From the" linregoingit with be seen. that the hitch can be very quickly. and-veasiily'atached to the tractor as itmeans theiplacing and clamping of. only two' bolts and three nuts. The Eboilt attachment is" made atthe draw bar cap' at the rear oi the trash while the. supporting plate is fastenednin pq: si'ition by the removable 'andreplacement of the nut 37. v i

It is pointed out that the disadvantages heretotore mentioned in respect. to hitches now known are overco'mefbyf this device. 5

upon the dtraw-capsthrough the rod: 1&8, is at all timesin same alin'ement. in respect-to the tractor,

With the pushingv ifonce concentrated on the rear axle of the. tumor, it viallpheseen that therewould actuall y follow atendency tor-greater traction, as this 'force wouldek tend in a downward direction as welhas rearwardly. The dew ward. pressure. of course,"causes thellugs ithe driuingwh'eels to deeply and firmly engage thekgmimd.

The device, of c0urse,phas the advantage that theflo erator of. the tractor. has a clear vision in f 'iontof him or. the manipulation which will be necessary to accomplish the positioning of -the implement. an the-detailed place. Additionally, theoperntflr hasathis disposal a greater amount of: power inythe first forward speed of Attractor. than would be the case'were he operating .in the-neverse gear to push reversing or backing'ofithe tractor.

A comparatively few number, at parts compose t -sjiiew tractor bitch. and it. therdfore, be seen thatthe hitch will. be cheap and sirn le of manufacture. 1

"I hishit'ch constru'(mien; has been found to work very advantageouslyrimawuphrngrztwo however, prevent lateral movelmnt the implement. the

or more tractors in a straight line which is often done when pulling very heavy loads.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a tractor having a front axle trunnion and a rear axle drawbar cap, a hitch comprising a pair of bars having their rear ends attached to said cap in separated spaced relation, said bars extending forwardly beneath the tractor and converging towards one another at their front end, a supporting plate for the front end of said bars having thereinopeningsin spaced relation for the reception of said bars, said plate supported by said axle trunnion, and means carried by the front end of the bars forconnection with an agricultural lmplement. i

, 2. In combinationwith a tractor having a front axle trunnion and a rear axle draw bar cap provided with a pluralit of 0 enings, a hitch comprising a pair of bars iavfront axle trunnion, and means carried by the front end of the bar for connection to an agricultural implement.

3. In combination with a tractor having as a part of itsstandard equipment a front axle trunnion and a rear axle draw-bar cap i a providedwith openings, a hitch construction which canbe quickly and easily attached to the tractor without change in the tractor equipment, said hitch comprising a pair of bars having means for attachment to said draw-bar cap in spaced relation thereon, said bars extending forwardly beneath the tractor and converging toward one another, a plate having therein openings adapted to receive and support said bars in spacedlrelation, said plate further provided with an opening adapted to receive said front axle trunnion and be sup orted thereby, and means" carried by the fi'ont end of the bars for connection to an agricultural implement.

4. In combination with a tractor having a front axle trunnion and arear axle drawbar cap having openings therein, a hitch comprising a pair of bars having means for quick attachment in spaced relation on said cap, said bars extending forwardly beneath the tractor and converging towards one another, a plate having therein three openings, two of which are adapted to receive and support said bars in spaced relation and the third opening being adapted to receive said front axle trunnion and be supported thereby, the front ends of said bars being threaded to extend beyond said plate and through suitablespared openings in the rear wall of a U-shaped clevis, and said clevis attached to the ends of said bars by nuts carried by said threaded bar ends and positioned at the oppositesides of the rear wall of said clevis. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHARLES n. COLE. 

